DS January: Sweet!

Thanks to everyone who braved the ridiculous cold and iffy roads and made it out to Blick Art Materials last Thursday for the first Dr Sketchy of Oh-Nine. (And special thanks to the Blick employee who filled in posing while our model made her way to Dearborn from Ypsi!)

Regina Sweet of Tickled Fancy Burlesque Co. did arrive eventually, complete with bunny ears, tutu and sexy country-girl outfit and pleased the crowd nicely, leaving Pedro, Blick's in-store plastic skull/impromptu tip jar, up to his eye sockets in dollar bills. Here's two from Kevin Hsieh, including one of our impromptu fill-in model.



And a couple from Jim Anderson too.



Remember, Tickled Fancy will perform in Detroit on March 15, at the Trumbullplex down by Wayne State University, a strange and intimate venue perfect for edgy cabaret performance.

ALSO: Dr. Sketchy returns on Wednesday, February 18, at our good ol' HQ, the Belmont in Hamtramck (come for the sketching, stay for the karaoke!); and again in Hamtown on March 7 at the Café 1923 to launch Hatch's third annual Hatchback art exhibit. So clear your schedule!

...and send more photos and art!

Dr. Sketchy Detroit 2009!

Hey all,

Here to remind you, we'll be congregatin' at Blick Art Materials THIS THURSDAY FROM 6-9PM for the first Dr. Sketchy of 2009!

The last session at Blick's was a big hit, and you don't have to worry about running out of art supplies during the night! Expect cool contest prizes, too.

And here's a surprise: we've got a brand new model! Demonique had to work, so instead we'll be hosting Ms. Regina Sweet of the Tickled Fancy Burlesque Troupe out of Ann Arbor! Check 'em out on Myspace here.

So expect a fantastic model, good company, cool contest prizes, and another good night of sketching.

If you could all do me a favor and send me an email so I can get an idea of a head count, I'd be much obliged. I expect some folks to come thanks to Blick's promoting the event, and I hope to get the same mixed group we had last time we were there.

Thanks, see you in a couple days!

Sean

Next Dr. Sketchy: January 15, 2009!

Hi Sketchers & friends! Hope the holidays are treating everyone well.

Three things from me:

First: A huge year-end thank you to everyone who's helped make Dr. Sketchy so much fun this year, despite some glitches in the scheduling of late. Whether you're a regular or just a once-in-a-while participant, it's because of you art monkeys, models and other supporters that this thing happens, and I'm really grateful for your participation.

Second: Dr. Sketchy is set to get back on track now that the holiday craziness is behind us. Our next session is scheduled for:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 6-9PM
at Blick Art Materials
14339 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126
(313) 581-7063

Modeling will be Dr. Sketchy friend and recent Metro Times cover model Demonique Damzelle!

Last time we were at Blick's, drawing bellydancer Lana, we had a great crowd of DS regulars and Blick customers discovering DS for the first time. Expect tight quarters, snacks and music, and don't worry about running out of pencils or markers or... pretty much anything, actually! Admission is the usual $5 (cheap!).

Lastly: Dr. Sketchy Detroit has been doing well mainly by word of mouth so far, but I'm really hoping spread the DS gospel in the coming months - passing out postcards and flyers, posting online and otherwise promoting the event. I'm also going to try to get even more local burlesque and cabaret acts and performers involved. SO - if you know anyone who we should hire to model, a group we should contact or a venue who'd like to host us, or if you'd just like to help get the word out to schools, arts groups, etc., please let me know!

Thanks again, and expect more info as we get closer to Jan. 15. Hope the new year is good to you,

Sean

DS22: Hansel? Hansel... Hansel??

Photos from Agnes Domanska of models Chris and Anna's campy-vampy version of Hansel & Gretel, among other creepiness.






Speaking of cool pin-up photography, take a look at this web site from Kit Kymla, who with luck will join us at the next Sketchy.

More Halloween treats

More sketches, first one from Matt Feazell, then one from me, and a couple from Kevin Hsieh. Photos from Agnes Domanska to come.

DS22: Happy haunting!

Whew! Finally! Last night's Halloween Dr. Sketchy session was another high-spirited, slightly chaotic and fun time, and lots of people helped bring it all together. Thanks to Green Brain and Blick art supplies for providing prizes (congrats Lola!), to DJ Muziq 666 for a great set (and to the Belmont for accommodating his tech needs), big thanks to Aaron for providing the coffin, and especially to Chris and Anna for being great and game models! And of course, thanks to all who attended, it's not much fun without sketchers.

John Nagridge gets to claims "firsts" for sending in these sketches, in appropriately Halloween-y colors. More to come, along with news on our November session.

DR SKETCHY TONIGHT! OCT. 28, 7-10pm

Here's your customary last minute reminder...

DR. SKETCHY
TONIGHT! TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 7-10PM

at The Belmont bar in Hamtramck
10215 Jos, Campau, between Holbrook and Caniff
313-871-1966
thebelmontbar.com

Two models, live DJ, prizes to raffle off, and a big heap of candy!

Still only $5 a head to draw - gawkers get in free!

See you tonight!
Sean

Poster children

Molly Crabapple has started a page on the Dr. Sketchy web site with samples of posters and flyers from around the DS empire, along with tips on how to make promotional materials, and it's worth a look! (Despite the model's moniker, the image above is from Dr. Sketchy's Kansas City, MO.)

It's the Great Pumpkin, Dr. Sketchy!

Well, after a long and inadvertent hiatus (besides the scheduling and vandalism problems last month, I've been swimming in other projects), we're finally closing in on the next installment of Dr. Sketchy in Detroit, our annual Halloween bash, and it should be a doozie.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 7-10PM at the Belmont bar in Hamtramck

We'll have Christopher (seen above with Jessica Rabbit), head honcho at Causing A Scene and all-around amazing guy, modeling for us along with his grandmother (!!), who I'm told will also be decked out in some crazy costumes along with Chris. We should have some cool Halloweeny props for them to play with too, on loan from local horror film auteur Aaron Trudgeon's latest flick, "After The Blood Rush". Plus a live DJ, candy, contests and prizes, and if you feel like dressing up so much the better!

Speaking of CAS, I found this page by a local photographer of the 2007 Fringe Festival featuring several faces familiar to Dr Sketchy regulars.

See you soon, and stay tuned for updates!

Sean

Sparkly Devil update!

Wow! Got an email from Sparkly tonight:

I wanted to let you all know that I am the centerfold for this week's issue of the SF Bay Guardian, for their annual Style magazine!

If you're local, you can pick up a copy anywhere in SF, but for those of you who aren't, you can see the image online.

It was shot by a wonderful photographer named Merkley -- you can check out his site at www.threequestionmarks.com.

Dr. Sketchy retrospective

Here as promised, some art from the past that i don't think ever made it to the blog until now! First three from Tom Dow:



Two from Jim Anderson (I think, correct me if I'm wrong, someone):


A few from Michelangelo Cicerone:




And a couple by me. Send yours in too!

September Blues

Things are rough all over in Dr. Sketchy land. First the Temple of the American Dream got vandalized, then this month's session, scheduled for today with the local Burning Man folks as a benefit to help with repairs, is rained out (theoretically... I haven't seen any actual rain yet today, despite the razzin-frazzin forecast...) Hopefully we'll get something together before the end of the month.

Worse yet, Molly Crabapple forwarded this to me from Katie at the Portland, OR Sketchy branch:

We've had a pretty upsetting event happen this past weekend here in Portland--my September model was attacked. Two men approached him around midnight on Friday, and started saying homophobic slurs to him, and then proceeded to beat him enough to concuss him and cause bleeding of the brain. You can read more about it here.

A close friend of our model has created a website -- healportland.com -- to let people know about our model's status, donate money (since he has no healthcare), and leave well-wishing messages.

I'll make a donation on behalf of Dr. Sketchy Detroit.

The good news is that our October session is set to go, with Christopher from Causing a Scene modeling along with his grandmother! We'll be at the Belmont from 7-10pm on Tuesday, October 28, so expect Halloweeny goodness all around.

Also good: Matt Feazell sent along the sketch above of Lana from August, and I'm gathering up a little art from past sessions that haven't been posted yet, as a sort of retrospective, so I'll post that soon. If anyone has any past art they'd like to see, send it along!

Dr. Sketchy Detroit Turns 2

Technically, August was DS:MCD's two-year anniversary! If plans come together as hoped, we'll be celebrating belatedly later this month. Until then, relive that first Sketchy session with these photos of Sparkly Devil. (Photo credits if/when I figure them out!) Stay tuned for the scoop on DS's upcoming late-September birthday party.

More of Lana

This time from my own sketchbook.

Doug Blanchard sketchbook exhibit

If, like me, you've marveled at the sketchbook drawings and collages of Doug Blanchard on this blog, and if you'll be in NYC next month, be sure to check out his exhibit at the Riviera Gallery in Brooklyn. He says he'll have some of his Sketchy work in the show. Congrats Doug!

She moves in mysterious ways

Some sweet art from last Thursday from Jim Anderson. Check out his blog for more sketches and some of his thoughts on electronic art tablets and figure drawing.

Lily LaRue Update

Wow, check out what former DS model Lily's been up to:

"Wheew! So I have spent the last month on a film set working as Drew Barrymore's stand in on the movie WHIP IT. A film about Roller Derby!"

Also see Lily's updated website.

DS21: Swords & skulls & wings & things

Well, Dr. Sketchy's trip to Dearborn was an experiment in trying something new, and it was a big success! Wow, we haven't had so many new faces all at once at a Dr. Sketchy in some time, and it was good to see. Many thanks to Paul and everyone at Blick art supplies for supplying not just the venue but some great door prize/goodie bags and snacks, and for turning so many new folks on the DS.


Among our new participants was Dennis Orlowski (in the foreground above), a muralist who's done several well-known local works, in Hamtramck especially but elsewhere around town too.


Many many thanks of course to Lana, who dazzled us with her dancing, costumes, music and her greatly-underestimated ability to hold a pose for several minutes. She's a joy to draw from, and a glance around the room at everyone's sketchbooks confirms she was an inspiration.


DS's reliable photog Agnes sent some super photos to share. She even got the skull we used as a tip jar into one shot!


More art to come! ( and PS: If you check the comments section of the last post, you'll get a hint at what's in the works for September...!)